Atlanta Board of Education Public Bickering Adding to District Woes

By Rose Scott

Atlanta, GA –
The public bickering and finger pointing among the Atlanta Board of Education members continues.
Thursday night an attorney for member Courtney English, who is the subject of an ethics investigation, openly accused board chair LaChandra Butler Burks and others of also violating board policies.
WABE's Rose Scott reports, the public squabbles could end up hurting the district:

It's pretty clear, there's tension as witnessed during Monday's board meeting.

EMMITT JOHNSON
"so, I mean my problem is you want to go ahead and do it, I don't know how this helps the children, if it's that important to you that Mr. Khaatim wants to be chair of this board and get his 15 minutes of fame..."

That was Emmitt Johnson referring to Khaatim Sherrer El.
El is in favor of changing the vote policy to remove a board officer.
During Thursday's night ethics board meeting, Doug Rosenbloom, an attorney for board member Courtney English leveled these charges.

DOUGLAS ROSENBLOOM:
"the board chair, LaChandra Butler Burks raised the charges in a conversation with Mr. English before the complaint was made and other board members have acknowledged to Mr. English that they learned about this before the complaint was made"

That according to Rosenbloom is a board violation.
Burks through an APS spokesperson told WABE because the case is before the Ethics Commission, the Board Chair is not in a position to discuss the matter.
Kwesi Rollins is the director of leadership programs at the Institute for Educational Leadership in Washington, DC.
He says at this point, Atlanta's Board may need outside help to resolve their problems:

ROLLINS:
"a lot of school boards have enlisted outside consultants to do some board development, to clarify their role, to be reminded of their responsibilities and also to kind of build consensus and get on the same page about what their priorities are"

But that takes a commitment says long time education consultant Dr. Don Rooks.

ROOKS:
"it takes putting the best interest of a school system and the student they're in first and I'm talking about a real a commitment where a board out there-somewhere out there says it is time for us to do what we should do and that is, board should a model for everybody else"

If the board members are unwilling to focus on the important issues
Again Kwesi Rollins with the Institute for Educational Leadership.

ROLLINS:
"Ultimately the voters will make them pay, you already have a volatile situation where trust because of the trust scandal and people will vote you out"

The next board meeting is scheduled for September 13th.
Rose Scott WABE news.

AND WABE is a broadcast service of The Atlanta Public Schools.